The best recruiters for any class likely aren’t the coaches working to lure top talent to their university — it’s the players who have already pledged. And one of Michigan’s top commits in the 2027 class is working diligently to convince some of the top targets for the maize and blue to come to Ann Arbor and play alongside him.
According to ESPN’s rankings, the Wolverines’ top-ranked commitment is Salt Lake City (Utah) West four-star quarterback Kamden Lopati. At No. 46 overall, according to the worldwide leader, having him as the spokesperson for the class would be advantageous, as he’s the type of player top talent would want to get behind.
Lopati is currently participating in the Elite 11 — the annual quarterback competition in Southern California — and he told Rivals’ Greg Biggins (subscription required) two targets he’s making his strongest pitch to.
“I’m talking to as many guys as I can,” Lopati said. “The main ones right now are Dakota Guerrant and Joshua Dobson. Dakota is a local guy and he would be a great addition and I would love to throw it to him.
“Dobson is a great athlete as well. I’m talking to some others too and looking forward to helping to build this recruiting class.”
The Wolverines had appeared to be essentially out for Guerrant, as the old staff hadn’t shown much capability to develop top-flight wide receivers, nor did they put in as much effort as would be required to land such a talent. However, the Harper Woods (Mich.) standout has seen essentially the entire staff come to his high school repeatedly, and he’s also reportedly taken in some Michigan practices and seen the difference. Though Oregon looms large for him (he’s being recruited by former Michigan defensive back Ross Douglas), it appears that the Wolverines are making a dent and could win out in the long run.
Dobson told The Wolverine’s Ethan McDowell that Michigan was being underestimated in his recruitment, as most analysts essentially counted the maize and blue out. Texas A&M appears to be the leader, but McDowell put Dobson in his 2027 class prediction — indicating that the pitch is being well-received.
With 16 pledges in the current class, the Wolverines still have a lot of room to add in the month of June. Guerrant is expected to take his official visit to Ann Arbor (though he’s been on campus more than anywhere else, by a pretty wide margin) on June 19, while Dobson canceled his LSU visit to come see Ann Arbor on June 12.
This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Michigan commit Kamden Lopati targets top recruits
Reporting by Isaiah Hole, Wolverines Wire / Wolverines Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
